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There are a few ways in which to answer this question, depending upon point of view.

 

From an overall curriculum standpoint, Form Five is a high level form that is planned to be taught after Form Four, in the brown belt curriculum. It is considered high level because of its focus on advanced themes and maneuvers, along with an exploration into unconventional foot and leg work.

 

Form Five primarily focuses on destabilization and take-downs from both applied and in-flight aggressions coming from inconvenient angles; while also out of position for such aggressions. It also relies heavily upon footwork in tandem with upper body maneuvers to fulfill its themes. The themes of this form are a natural progression in sophistication, when compared to the themes of Form Four and other lower forms.

 

From a more raw, systemic point of view, Form Five is part of the Basics division and part of the forms sub-section (a.k.a. moving basics); located at the upper (a.k.a. advanced level) of that sub-section.

 

From a more conceptual perspective, Form Five is designed to help in the specific development of the practitioner when dealing with being out of position for aggressions. This, along with using the entire body (e.g. upper and lower extremities in coordination with each other) to destabilize and take a potential attacker to the ground.

 

In this context, the term out of position can mean both the angle of line of attack and/or practitioner positioning prior to such a potential attack. This form's concentration on take-downs is an expansion upon the destabilization techniques presented in lower forms. It does this by relying upon not only the upper body or lower body, but also the coordination of both the upper and lower body working tightly together to effect this theme.

 

From an observational and external vantage point, Form Five's execution is definitely less flowery, when compared to its predecessor Form Four. Also, in relation to the lower forms, it has a uniquely distinctive air of power and dominance; but at the same time, when trying to visualize its performance with an aggressor, it is much harder to read. This can lead the uninformed observer with a sense of bewilderment or misunderstanding for specific maneuvers and maneuver sets at numerous locations within the form.

 

This difficulty in reading the form can also bleed over into the practitioner's performance and grasp of the information contained within the form. These deficiencies are often a large factor as to why this form is commonly misinterpreted and/or not executed properly. Because of this, practitioners should take care to understand the intricacies of this form; in not only execution but also overall information.